The Last 5 Years was never my favorite musical, though I still enjoy it and find parts very moving. But I just really hope this does really well and proves that movie musicals can be made without the pressures of an insane budget. I mean, most other movie musicals would be a lot more complicated to film than this, but you know what I mean!

I agree with Carol Channing that I do wish the movie well as it is not a recipe for success but it would be nice to see more movie musicals made like this one.

The Last Five Years, as a musical, is one I have grown sick of it because it is SOOOOO popular amongst my generation and was overdone by so many people for auditions and recitals while I was in college….which is really common for most of Jason Robert Brown’s music. He has almost become this era’s Sondheim in terms of mystique and acclaim.

It’s definitely not perfect. Some of the cinematography choices are questionable (WAY too many low-angle shots) and the low-budget was definitely noticeable, but I thought most of the numbers were very effective, emotionally, and it got particularly more consistent in the second half. The only song that didn’t work for me was “The Next Ten Minutes” because of the pretty sloppy camera work.

But I appreciate the fact that nothing was really altered to make it “work for film” and was very unapologetic in its approach. I also happen to be a sucker for movie musicals that adhere to a sort of non-realistic stage-i-ness. I think they’re more visually exciting to watch.

I thought it was far more successful than Into the Woods. Into the Woods is one of my favorite musicals, but I felt like it was pretty bland, especially when compared to this. Technically, it’s a better movie than TL5Y, but I’d much rather watch TL5Y again.

Both actors are really terrific, especially Kendrick. It’s the best work I’ve seen her do. I feel like if this movie came out during prime awards season time, she’d be a strong contender to be nominated for Lead Actress. But since it came out in February, I’ll just cross my fingers for a Golden Globe nom.

Finally got around to watching this and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. First of all- ANNA KENDRICK. She sounded fantastic and she acted her ass off. She just nails it, everything, from the very first second. And her co-star Jeremy Jordan is also terrific. His voice is amazing, and though his acting chops aren’t a match for Kendrick’s, his vocals definitely make up for it, and he’s very charming and they have good chemistry. I really liked the way this musical was done. Sure, it feels stage-y and also somewhat low budget (which it was), but it also feels intimate and sometimes quite raw (such as the opening number and the number next to the river, I believe it’s Kendrick’s second song). I’m not familiar with the Broadway musical it’s based off of, so it took me a second to understand the rhythm of the film (her songs are going backward in time through the relationship, his are going foward), but I was never really lost. Anna Kendrick truly gives a beautiful performance here- heartfelt, funny, charming, and always sincere. Her vocals are lovely throughout, and she just shines. If there is any justice, she will be getting at the very least a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. Jordan is also deserving of attention. For fans of musicals or Anna Kendrick (or especially both), please give this a chance. You won’t regret it.